The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania - Pavilion on Jan. 30, 2023.
Credit: Abhiram JuvvadiFive Philadelphia-area medical schools will join Penn Medicine in its initiative to recruit and mentor doctors from underrepresented racial groups.
The initiative, called Pathways to Excellence in Medicine, was created by the Alliance of Minority Physicians, an organization across Penn Medicine and the Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania, whose mission is to recruit and mentor medical students and residents. Five schools — including Temple, Jefferson, Drexel, PCOM, and Cooper — are now included within the program.
Pathways to Excellence in Medicine seeks to alleviate disparities for students from underrepresented backgrounds in medicine by actively “supporting them as they blaze the path toward realizing their potential as Philadelphia’s future physicians,” according to the Alliance for Minority Physicians website.
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Independence Blue Cross Foundation supported the first cohort of 19 medical students in November 2023 via a $250,000 grant. The cohort is offered networking opportunities, career guidance from mentors, and training events among other benefits.
The Alliance of Minority Physicians — which was founded in the spring of 2012 by Iris Reyes, a professor of clinical emergency medicine at Penn — is a coalition aiming to bolster medical opportunities for underrepresented groups.
The initiative hopes that by supporting medical students underrepresented in medicine, they can foster a more inclusive clinical learning environment and improve health disparities.
The expansion of Pathways to Excellence in Medicine to other Philadelphia medical schools is one way in which the Alliance of Minority Physicians hopes it can reach students more who may be questioning whether they want to continue a pursuit in a medical career.
On April 13, the Alliance of Minority Physicians will be hosting “Pathways to Excellence Med Immersion Day” which is open to all individuals who are from a background that is underrepresented in medicine.
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
Donate
